Ancienne Ethiopie

This is an attractive 17th century miniature map (10 x 14cm) of Southern Africa. Ancienne Ethiopie, i.e the South and South-East Africa,and Libya (Interieure), i.e. North and North-West Africa were the only two inland regions of the continent known to Classical Greek and Roman Geographers. The map is from a famous encyclopaedic French miniature publication by Alain Mallet. 

  The map shows the two Ptolemaic lakes as the sources of the Nile. It also shows the location of Azania to the south of the horn of Africa adjacent to which, accordoing to Classical geography, lived the Struthophagi (Ostrich Eaters) and to the west of them the Elephantophagi; and along the Mozambique coast the Anthropophagi (Man Eaters).

Alain Manesson Mallet was a French cartographer, engineer and mathematician, who worked for the Portuguese. He then became Inspector of Fortifications for King Louis XIV of France.  This miniature map appeared in his 1683 Description de l'Univers (Paris: Denys Thierry, 1683), a miniature yet monumental publication in five volumes (each with its own title page). The book is an encyclopaedic world history that also describes the cultures, governments, lands and customs of the people known at that time; it includes numerous engraved maps, views and images of flora, fauna and people from different parts of the world. The book was published only once.  

The map is in outline colour; there is some age-toning of the paper and surface dirt, otherwise the map is in fine condition.

This attractive miniature map in fine condition reminds us of the understanding of the world in Classical European geography: Multum in parvo (a lot in a little)

References: Geoffrey King. Miniature Antique Maps pp. 152-153. Richard Betz The Mapping of Africa # 409-410